LZFD Reminds Residents to “Prevent Kitchen Fires,” Theme of Fire Prevention Week

The Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department is joining forces with the nonprofit  National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to remind local residents to “Prevent Kitchen Fires.”

During this year's fire safety campaign, fire departments will be spreading the word about the dangers of kitchen fires _most of which result from unattended cooking _ and teaching local residents how to prevent kitchen fires from starting in the first place.

According to the latest NFPA research, cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen—more than any other place in the home. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.

"Often when we're called to a fire that started in the kitchen, the residents tell us that they only left the kitchen for a few minutes," LZ Fire Chief David Wheelock said.

"Sadly, that's all it takes for a dangerous fire to start. We hope that Fire Prevention Week will help us reach folks in the community before they've suffered a damaging lesson."

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food.
• If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• When you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.
• If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove.
• When you cook, avoid wearing loose-fitting sleeves.
• Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels, and anything else that can burn, away from your stovetop.
• Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops.
• Keep oven clean. Be careful of storage in the oven or below especially if it is a broiler drawer.